Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice (Printable)

Creamy soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan. Perfect for chilly evenings.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 8.8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

07 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups chicken broth, preferably low sodium
09 - 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

→ Dairy

10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Fats

11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Thickeners

12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

→ Herbs and Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic; cook for another 4 minutes until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.
03 - Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine and prevent lumps. Add the wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the pot. Stir in the milk or half-and-half and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's the kind of one-pot meal where everything that goes in comes out tasting better together than separately.
  • The wild rice gives it real substance without making you feel weighed down afterward.
  • There's genuine comfort in every spoonful, especially on days when you need the kitchen to be your safe place.
02 -
  • If you add the Parmesan too aggressively or at too high a heat, it can clump or become grainy; slow and gentle wins the texture game every time.
  • Wild rice takes longer than white or brown rice to soften, so don't rush it or substitute without adjusting your timing, or you'll end up with crunchy rice in an otherwise creamy soup.
  • Tasting and adjusting seasoning at the very end is essential because the milk and cheese both contribute saltiness that builds as they warm, and you don't want to over-salt early on.
03 -
  • Rinsing wild rice before cooking removes dust and prevents the finished soup from looking cloudy, which is the difference between homemade and refined looking.
  • Always use freshly grated Parmesan, not the pre-grated kind in the green can, because the anti-caking agents prevent it from melting smoothly and you'll end up with slightly gritty texture that ruins the creaminess.
  • If your soup breaks or separates when you add the milk, don't panic; just remove it from direct heat and let it sit for a minute, then stir very gently; it usually comes back together.
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